Franklin University Switzerland
Bachelor of Arts in International RelationsLugano, Switzerland
DURATION
4 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2025
TUITION FEES
CHF 52,750 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* annual tuition fee for international students per year | Swiss/EU/EEA: CHF 27,550 per year | US citizens / permanent residents and Canadian citizens: $48,500 per year
Key Summary
Introduction
Build your Skills for a Global Future
The International Relations major is designed for students who wish to deepen their knowledge and understanding of this multi-disciplinary field. Students receive a solid foundation for a variety of careers in areas such as diplomatic and government service, international organizations, international business, journalism, law, and banking. Many graduates have also chosen to pursue graduate study in related areas.
Admissions
Curriculum
In the International Relations major, students take core courses in political science, economics, and history and undertake interdisciplinary work in areas such as languages, cultural studies, or communications. The major aims to provide students with the instruments and techniques to analyze complex phenomena in the era of globalization.
The International Relations with an Emphasis in Political Economy major is designed for students interested in the broad field of international relations but who wish to have a stronger focus on issues of political economy that have become critical in today’s globalized world. The interdisciplinary electives also encourage students to explore related fields such as business, where politico-economic issues play an important role.
The IR-PE major provides a solid foundation for a variety of careers and graduate study in areas such as diplomatic service, international organizations, international business, journalism, law, and banking. The discipline of political economy is increasingly becoming a fundamental component of graduate business and management programs.
Foundation Courses (15 Credits)
- POL 100 Introduction to Political Science
- POL 101 Introduction to International Relations
- POL 112 Markets, Policy, and Administration
- HIS 105 Global History II: Globalization, the Emergence of the Modern State, and Coping with Change
- SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology
Required Courses (12 Credits)
- POL 300 Comparative Politics
- POL 301 Theories of International Relations
- POL 321 International Organization
- POL 377 International Political Economy
Capstone Requirement (6 Credits)
- POL 497 Readings and Methods in Political Science and International Relations
- POL 499 Senior Thesis
Departmental Electives (12 Credits)
Choose four of the following:
- Any POL 200-level course (POL 2XX)
- Any POL 300-level course (POL 3XX)
- Any language at the 301 level
Interdisciplinary Electives (6 Credits)
Choose any course at 200-level or above in HIS or ECN, or select from the following:
- AHT 218T Harbor Cities: Architecture, Vision, and Experience
- AHT 361 The Visual Culture of Disaster
- BUS 410 Organizational Behavior and Leadership
- COM 301 Globalization and Media
- COM 302 Intercultural Communication: Theory, Research, and Practice
- CLCS 330 The Politics of Mobility: Exile and Immigration
- CLCS 350 Culture and Human Rights
- ECN 225 Issues and Controversies in Macroeconomics (Intermediate Macroeconomics)
- ECN 256 Managerial Economics (Intermediate Microeconomics)
- ECN 303 Development Economics
- ECN 305 Economics of the European Union
- ECN 330T Neo-liberal India: Globalization and Development
- ECN 331T Sustainable Economic Development
- ECN 341 International Trade
- ECN 355 Political Economy: Theories and Issues
- ENV 200 Understanding Environmental Issues
- ENV 230T Freshwater Conservation
- ENV 282T Tourism and the Environment: Iceland
- GER 374 Strangers in Paradise?: Historical and Cultural Texts on Immigration into Switzerland
- Any HIS course at 200-level or above (HIS XXX)
- MAT 200 Calculus
- MAT 201 Introduction to Statistics
- PSY 201 Social Psychology
- PSY 220 Multicultural Psychology
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Program Tuition Fee
Scholarships and Funding
Franklin University Switzerland offers merit scholarships to admitted students based on academic achievements in high school and/or transferable undergraduate work. All undergraduate applicants are considered for merit awards as part of the admissions process, which are awarded at the point of admission with priority given to students applying by the December 1 deadline. Additional need-based scholarships may be awarded on top of merit scholarships, depending on a student’s need. Merit scholarships are renewable for up to four years or eight semesters.
Undergraduate Special Awards
Our competitive scholarship programs offer the most promising students the financial support they need to pursue their studies. These scholarship opportunities are awarded during the enrollment process for incoming students.
At FUS, we are committed to ensuring that talented students are able to access the best educational opportunities so that they can reach their full potential and make a positive impact at Franklin and beyond their studies. We offer generous scholarships and awards to make sure the most promising and motivated young minds are able to achieve their goals and make a positive impact on society.
The scholarship opportunities listed below are cumulative with other types of financial aid, and would be renewed annually to student recipients provided GPA requirements and other applicable conditions per scholarship type are maintained.
- SUNY-FUS 2 + 2 Jacques Villaret International Education Award for SUNY Community College Students
- Franklin Honors Program Award
- The Ambassador Wilfried Geens Award
- The Brian Stanford Award in Creative Practices
- The Ann Gardiner Award in Sustainability
- Life-Long Learning Scholarship